Harry and Meghan Australia tour 2026: Michelle Haywood, daughter of Daphne Dunne, hugs Duke of Sussex at Opera House

Prince Harry and Meghan were greeted by fans at the Sydney Opera House today during an impromptu meet-and-greet Tour through Australia comes to an end.

But one interaction in particular warmed hearts.

While greeting the horde of fans, Harry shared a touching moment with the daughter of his late “biggest fan”, Daphne Dunne.

Watch the video above.

Michelle Haywood attended on behalf of her late mother, holding up a photo Dunne had taken with the prince during a previous visit to Australia.

The Duke of Sussex had met Dunne, a former soldier and war widow, during three visits to Australia in 2015 and 2017. Royal tour 2018 with Meghan.

During the latter, he memorably rushed to Dunne, then 97, as the couple greeted the crowd at the Opera House and introduced her to his new wife.

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But this would sadly be their last interaction, with Dunne passing away the following year at the age of 99 after a battle with pneumonia.

Harry was warmly embraced by Haywood during today’s walk and appeared to be deep in conversation with her after apparently recognizing the photo of his late fan.

Haywood later told the newspaper Sydney Morning Herald she had hoped to thank Harry for the moments he had shared with her mother.

“I wanted to come today because it’s my first opportunity to see him again and to hopefully be able to thank him for the joy he has brought to his mother all these years,” she said of the meeting.

Haywood has spoken of the special bond her mother shared with Harry in the past, describing the pair as having a “common understanding of… service to others”.

Dunne was the first to succeed royal attention in 2015after wearing her late war hero husband’s Victoria Cross to yet another meet-and-greet at the Opera House.

In 2019, Dunne’s family wrote a tribute to the late royal fan on Instagram.

“It is with the depths of my heart that I would like to share the news that our most beloved mother and grandmother, Daphne Dunne, passed away peacefully yesterday morning,” they said.

“She spent much of her life representing the women of the Australian Army and her two husbands, Lt. Albert Crowne VC MM and John Patrick Dunne, ensuring that their service to Australia was never forgotten.”

Her death came just days after she received a congratulatory letter from Prince Harry to commemorate her 99th birthday.

“Dear Daphne, my wife and I send you our warmest wishes on Friday on the occasion of your 99th birthday,” Prince Harry wrote.

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“We hope you have a great party, surrounded by family and friends, and that you managed to escape from the hospital!

“Congratulations on achieving this important and impressive milestone before your centenary next year,” the letter concluded.

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